1. Field of the Invention
An electrical module connecting arrangement includes a male lug projection integral with a first module and arranged for insertion within an opening contained in a second module, which opening includes an entrance portion having cross-sectional dimensions less than those of the lug projection, and an enlarged chamber portion of greater dimensions, thereby to define a transition wall surface. The male lug projection is formed from a suitable non-resilient compressible synthetic plastic material, such as a polyamide, that is so operable that a first section of the projection is compressed within the opening entrance portion, and a second section subsequently expands, after a time delay, within the enlarged chamber portion and engages the transition wall, thereby to lock the two modules together.
2. Description of Related Art
The most varied designs of typical electrical modules, for example, terminal blocks, are known. Such terminal blocks often have corresponding coupling elements that so cooperate that neighboring terminal blocks can be connected by the cooperation of the first and second coupling elements, whereby the first coupling element is a catch lug and the second coupling element is a catch lug recess and whereby the catch lug recess is designed to receive the catch lug for which purpose it has at least one cross-section variation.
The catch lug, on the other hand, has a deflectable spring element, which, upon insertion into the catch lug recess, is made to engage a corresponding counter piece that alters the cross-section of the recess in such a manner that a stressed, mechanical connection is established between neighboring terminal blocks. Such designs are known from German patents Nos. DE 2 232 971 OS and DE 101 00 081 A1. The German patent No. DE 22 32 971 discloses a hollow lug that is compressed in a recess and that, after passing through a lug recess, is immediately widened elastically. German patent No. DE 197 06 262 A1 and U.S. Pat. No. 2,928,066 are also cited with regard to the state of the art.
The typical electrical module proved effective with respect to its connectability; but like most components of electric technology, it is subjected to the constant urge for cheaper production.
Starting from this point, the object of the invention is so to simplify the typical electrical module in terms of design that the production costs—guaranteeing good continued connectability of neighboring modules—can be reduced as compared to the current state of the art.
Accordingly, the lug projection with respect to the lug recess is over-dimensioned and it is so designed that, after introduction into the lug recess for the formation of at least one undercut, it will become wider in at least one cross-section change flowing with a time delay—that is to say, not directly and immediately elastically or with resilient action. Compared to the typical state of the art, the invention-based module is distinguished by the following: It has coupling elements with a simpler design, which have a less complex geometry when compared to the state of the art—with comparably good connectability of neighboring modules—and thus it is comparatively simpler to make and can be handled more reliably.
The invention-based module, moreover, offers the following advantage: Its more simply designed coupling elements—due to the missing resilient elements in comparison to the state of the art or the absence of associated elastic counter piece—it is less vulnerable to damages during transport and/or assembly.
A particularly preferred variant of the invention is distinguished by the following: The coupling elements are made of polyamide. Polyamide is particularly advantageous for the production of electrical modules so that the invention can be used for a plurality of electrical modules.